[adenure July 29, 2012 at 12:14 pm Post count: 491]

#1059238

Hi all,

I know we’re not doctors and I will be discussing my labs with my doctor this week, but here they are…. I’m confused.

Here are my post thyroidectomy (6 weeks) labs. Not sure what to make of them.

TSH: 6.39 (.35-4.00 normal)
Free T4: 1.3 (.8-1.5 normal)
Total T3: 90 (58-159 normal)

Two weeks ago (4 weeks post TT) my TSH was 4.15 and Free T4 was 1.24

I’m on 100 mcg. Synthroid and have been for the past 6 weeks. Why does my TSH continue to rise, but my Free T4 continues to rise as well? I haven’t gotten my free T3 done yet as Kaiser doesn’t order it so I have to pay myself. My endo. didn’t want to test T3 and didn’t think testing free T3 was necessary. He also didn’t want to prescribe any type of natural hormone replacement (at the beginning of all of this). It doesn’t seem to make sense to increase the Synthroid dose given my free T4 level or does it? I don’t know what to do. I’m confused. I haven’t gained any weight, I’m not constipated- I don’t really have any hypo symptoms except headaches and insomnia (if that’s a symptom?) I feel off to an extent, so I don’t know. Any help is appreciated.

Alexis

[snelsen July 29, 2012 at 1:53 pm Post count: 1909]

#1173252

Hi Alexis, yes, I find it a bit of a puzzle, too. i prowled around, looking for evidenced based discussion on the reason to draw a free T3. The first five screens were all chat sites or supplement sites, selling supplements.
Then I googled, “is Free T3 necessary, or does it give good information, to manage thyroid hormone replacement. Then I added Mayo Clinic, NIH Endocrine site,and the University of Michigan endocrine dept. thyroid disorders.
The Michigan site was good, but did not state much about labs and long term management.
So-short answer is that I don’t know why it is/is not ordered, or even the varying thoughts of endos regarding this this. The one thing that I did read was that it was another helpful indicator when first diagnosing hyperthyroidism.

I may have missed some reference that lays it all out for us.

But regarding you-that is a puzzle when you don’t really feel well, but you really do not feel hyPO,your TSH is leaning in that direction, yet your other labs are within normal range. Generally, weight gain can/does go along with hyPO. I don’t know about headaches one way or the other. I think the other compounding factor is, that unfortunately, the darn time needs to pass, until you have a clear picture of either your symptoms or your labs. It been only
6 weeks since you began your meds, and I suspect when you began them, you probably still have some thyroid hormone circulating around after your surgery.

Not sure what you are referring to by the endo not wanting to prescribe a natural hormone supplement at the beginning of this. But I can say, that consistency over time, with whatever you are on, is the most important thing for you right now, and probably in the future.
If you are referring to Cytomel, that could really muddy up your picture at this time, for it tends to appear in a big burst pretty much all at once, and does not at all mimic what our respective bodies did, before all this madness began for us.

Since I referred to you in my last post, regarding positive thoughts, take a look at it sometime. Was not sure how soon you’d go back there since you just posted.

And-I guess you might be stuck with waiting and waiting to see if anything-you or labs, show enough changes, for better for worse, before any dose changes would be warranted. It is very frustrating.
Shirley

[adenure July 29, 2012 at 2:42 pm Post count: 491]

#1173253

Thanks for the reply Shirley. I don’t know; I’m just discouraged bc I wanted my numbers to “make sense”. When I was hyper, they all said hyper! When I was normal on methimazole they all said “normal”. Now they contradict each other. I mean dessicated piggy stuff when I referred to natural hormone supplement- like Armor. Wasn’t sure if that would be better than Synthroid- maybe the lower T3 means I’m not converting efficiently? Obviously I am converting, but maybe not well enough for my TSH to be lower? I don’t know. My endo. isn’t a fan of things like Armor/ Naturethroid. He’d probably let me try it if I insisted, but I don’t know if that’s the right thing to do. Then I thought maybe adding a tiny bit of Cytomel to the Synthroid could get the T3 up and the TSH down? I don’t know- I’ll be talking with my endo, but my TSH is essentially going up relatively quickly it seems. I don’t get it. Kimberly… anyone?

Alexis

[KimberlyOnline Facilitator July 29, 2012 at 8:11 pm Post count: 4294]

#1173254

Hello – Sorry, I’m not able to put the puzzle pieces together, either!

You and your doctor will need to make the decision on adding T3, but as Shirley noted, if you are making tweaks too early and too often, that can make it even more difficult to find your “sweet spot”.

Take care!

[Carito71 July 30, 2012 at 2:27 pm Post count: 333]

#1173255

Hello. Just saying “hello” for I don’t think I can be of any help with your labs. What can I say, your Free T4 doesn’t look bad and neither does your Total T3, so what is going on with the TSH, right? Why does it say “hypo”? Maybe the pituitary is still trying to get used to the changes??? I’m sorry I can’t be of any help

As for the headaches, my aunt is on Synthroid and she gets headaches when she doesn’t take it (when she is hypo).

Hope pretty soon you get more concrete answers and start seeing better results.

Just dropping by to say “hello” ….

Caro

[adenure July 30, 2012 at 3:33 pm Post count: 491]

#1173256

Thanks Caro

My endo says I need time… boo! Oh well. He did increase my Synthroid to 112 mcg & told me to get labs in 6-8 weeks; oh the waiting game… I want to feel like Mary Katherine Gallagher: “Supah Stah”!!!

Alexis

[Carito71 July 30, 2012 at 7:43 pm Post count: 333]

#1173257

adenure wrote:

I want to feel like Mary Katherine Gallagher: “Supah Stah”!!!

lol!!! Me too!

Alexis, I was thinking, maybe it is more of a pituitary thing what is going on with your TSH?? Have you had any other labs done? Such as Prolactin? I don’t know, just something to keep in mind. I know it has only been 6 weeks and it is probably your body just getting used to things but thought I would mention it.

As for the headaches, what is your Dr. saying about it? It has been several weeks since you have been complaining of headaches. It most be be so so frustrating. Do you have a general Dr. who might help you out with trying to figure out the source of the headaches? I have one right now and I was thinking about how you most feel day in and day out with a headache. I hope you get better soon.

Caro

[adenure July 30, 2012 at 9:00 pm Post count: 491]

#1173258

I wondered if it was a pituitary issue, but the truth is, before my surgery, my numbers all made sense. When I was hyper, my T4 & T3 were high (out of range) and my TSH was .01. When I was normal on methimazole, my TSH was around 1.28 with my T’s in range. So, the funky numbers are something new that has only happened after surgery. That is what would lead me to believe it’s surgery related/ losing my thyroid & my body not being sure what to do with it all. I thought if it were truly a pituitary issue, it would have shown itself prior to surgery. Who knows though.

No one thinks my headaches are hormone or Synthroid related… :rolleyes: Well, maybe not, but I don’t know that my hormones and my body going through what it has been through the last 8 months is helping anyway… I try to stay busy, take Advil or Tylenol if I need it and do the best I can. I’m hoping the Synthroid dose increase will help some. We’ll see…

Alexis

[Darcy43 July 31, 2012 at 5:57 am Post count: 125]

#1173259

Alexis I pray your numbers normalize also (whatever that means). I truly understand what you are going through. I am about to embark on possibly another avenue due to my most recent numbers and I am getting really scared…I will share in a minute.

Things will work out.

[Carito71 July 31, 2012 at 8:55 am Post count: 333]

#1173260

adenure wrote:

No one thinks my headaches are hormone or Synthroid related… :rolleyes:
Alexis

Then what?

adenure wrote:

I’m hoping the Synthroid dose increase will help some. We’ll see…
Alexis

I forgot all about the increase. I’m so glad you got it increased. If it is your hormones causing the headaches, I’m hopeful you will soon be letting us know your headaches are gone Like I said, my aunt gets headaches when she doesn’t take her synthroid and I think I’ve read that headaches can be a hypo symptom. So …. lets hope for the best.

Caro

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